Game apparatus.



No; 888,660. PATENTED MAY 26,1908. 0. W. SEARS H. G. BOESGHE. GAME APPARATUS.

I APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 24, 1907.

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No. 888,660. PATENTED MAY 26, 1908.

o. w. SEARS & H. e. BOESGHE.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24. 1907.

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iently formed from a plate as 2.

tion't'othis body or maininember there is an UNITED STATES P QENroFFroE.

' CHARLES-W. SEARS AND HERMAN e. BOESCHE, OF SOUTH "OMAH NEBRASKA.

GAME APPARATUS. I

Patented May 26, 1908.

Application filed June 24, 1907. Serial No. 380,573. I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that WQLC'HARLES W. SEARs and HERMAN G. BOESCHE, citizens of the- United States, residing at South Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, have invented new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a s ecification. This invention re ates to game apparatus.

is simple in construction, can be inexpensively made, and afiord considerable amusement.

The device, as will be understood, can be 1 used either in or out doors and it can not only beutilized inplaying a game or practicing certain strokes, but it can be employed for analogous purposes.

In the drawlng's' accompanying and formmg a part of thisspecification e illustrate in detail one advantageous form. of embodiment of the invention, which, to enable those skilled in the art toQpractice the same, will be,

hereinafter more particularly described, while the novelty of the invention willbe included in the claims succeeding said description. Various modifications may be adopted within the scopeof our said claims. i

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of game apparatus involv-' mg our invention. Fig. 2 1s a longitudinal section of said apparatps. Fig. 3 is a top plan view, and Flgj 4 a sectional view of the same. Fig; 5 is a detail view in perspective modified formof the invention. Fig. 7 is an end elevation ,of the same.

Like characters refer to like parts throughout the several figures of the rawings.

The apparatus shown in the drawings includes in its make-up a body or main memher with which the various parts are 0 eratively associated, and, while this may e-of any desirable character; it may be conven- In addiauxiliary member as 3 which may also consist of a plate. The body member or plate2 'may be placed'over an opening in the floor or ground, depending upon whether or not the device is played in or out doors. I'n it Game apparatus involving our mvention' can be put to a variety of uses. For 1n- Fig. 6 is a side'elevation ofa -2'is shown as having at its corners perforations through which screws or-other fastenings can be passed. The upper plate 3 is pivoted to and fits flatwise against the lower plate for lateral swinging movement, and the purpose of this will hereinafter appear.

We have shown a ball at 4, and it is this ball that is struck vby the blow of a golf club or the like when the device is in use. This ball in, the resent case is rotatively as well as revolubl y mounted; The ball 4, which may be made of any. material or com osition 1|dgistomarily employed inmaking go if balls, illustrated as rotatively supported by the fork 5 ri 'dly connected with and extending from a b ock as 6. The block 6 is represented as consisting of three plates riveted or otherwise suitably. connected together, the

plates and being curved on its under side to conform to the peripheral curvature of the wheel or disk 7. The shank of the fork 5 may, if desired, be made integral with the cen-' tral plate of the .three comprising the block 6.

The outer plates of the block are ada ted to straddle the wheel 7 and to be, suitab y con,-

nected' thereto; screws might be utilized for this purpose. While the ivot for the ball 4 may be of anysuitable c aracter, we prefer to use a screw as 8 for this purpose, by means of which the ball 4 is removably mounted, so that, when thelatter becomes worn from use, it can be taken off by the removal of the pivot 8 and a newone put in its lace. p The block 6 and wheel 7 constitute a convenient and simple carrier for the ball 4. The wheel 7 may be rotatably supported in any desirable way. It is shown as having a sleeve 7 fitted in thecentral opening therein through which the pivot 9 passes; Said pivot may as illustrated consist of a bolt supported by the companion hangers or brac ets attached to and depending from thelaterally vibratory or swlnging plate 3. The

upper plate 3 is shown as having a slot 11 comprising a central narrow portion and two substantially. circular end portions. The block 6 normally, or as shown in Figs. 1 to 4" inclusive, fits in the straight or intermediate portion of said slot 11. The terminal circuar portions of the slot 11 are of greaterdmmcentral plate being shallower than the outer I eter than-the ball 4 so that, when said ball revolves on the rotation of the wheel 7, it can freely pass through these terminal portions.

The plate 3 is illustrated as having near one end and on the under side thereof a downwardly-extending boss or sleeve -12 which is ada ted to turn in an opening near the corresponding end of the lower plate 2. Through this boss is shown as extended a bolt 13, the head of which is represented as countersunkin said upper plate, and between the nut 14 of the bolt and the lower plate 2 a washer as 15. is interposed, said washer being of greater diameter than the opening in the plate 2 in which said boss 12 is fitted. B y'virtue of this mounting of the plate 3 it Wlll be clear that the. lattercan be swung sidewise in opposite directions from a centralposition, it eing represented as oocupying such central position in Figs. 1 and 3. The lower plate 2 has a slot 16 which is made somewhat of fan shape-- and sufficiently wide as to permit a fairly considerable range of lateral movement of the upper plate 3.

In the rear circular portion of the slot 11 is set a trap as 17, said trap being generally made flat and its upper surface being normally flush with the corresponding surface of the upper late 3.v This trap 17 is shownas having a s ank 18 pivotally mounted in an aperture or opening extending radially outward from said said carrier stands in its normal position as indicated in said Fig. 2, this reponderance is above such center, so that t e same can be utilized to maintain the trap 17 closed.

, -When, however, thedetent or projection 19 -is disengaged from the catch 20 the trap 17 can be swung open and to a substantially upright position, and for this purpose a s ring as 21 may be provided,-said spring eing shown as held in lace by the nut 14 of the bolt 13. In fact t e s ring is interposed between the nut 14 an washer 15, It is of bowed character and its free end engages aglainst the under surface'ofthetrap 17. T e spring is constantly under tension and it is apparent that, when. the projection 19 is disengaged from the pro'ection 20, the trap 17 will be released an can be instantly swung open by the power of the spring 21.

The forward or advancing movement of the wheel'7 and consequently of the,block 6 and ball 4 is indicated by the arrowin 2.

It will be apparent that, owing to the fact or circumferential extension.

immediately to the rear of the ball 4 so that the detent or projection 19 normally rests on the catch or projection 20,. accidental retractive movement of the said wheel, block, and ball is prevented thereby. In addition to this the trap covers that part of the }slot t at, even though provision be made in'the slot for the passage of the ball during its revolution, the resence thereof does not afiect a stroke. We prefer to employ indicating means set in action on the revolution of the ball, a reading of which will indicate to a player the force I ing means may be of any desirable character ;-for example, the same mayconsist of a of his blow, and said indicat- 1 register as 22 suitably supported by the laterally swingin plate 3 on the under side thereof, said p ate 3 being slotted to ermit the reading of the numerals or other e arac ters of the register. The register is shown as e ui ped with ashaft as 23 by turning t e same maybe operated in the we This shaft 23 is shown as whic known manner.

having at its outer end several radial finger? as 24 adapted for engagement by a in as 2' on' one side of the block 6. When t e ball is given a slight blow the same may revolve only a-few times. When it is given a heavy blow it may revolve a large number of times .and each time. a. complete revolution is made indication of this fact is given by the register ball' is otherwise hit or is given a foul or glancing blow, it, and naturally the plate 3, will be moved sidewise from its normal central position, and we provide indicating means of a suitable character for showing the amount of lateral movement, so that, if the lateral movement is considerable, a player can train himself to deliver a'square or dead stroke to the ball. The plate 3 is shown as having at its extreme forward end a pointer or index-finger as 26., which is adapted to travelupon-a scale as 27, the scale hearing at its center'a mark indicating zero and numbers progressing from the zero or central mark at opposite sides thereof. It willbe clear that, when position, the pointer 26 is at the zero mark of the scale. The amount of movement oppositely from the central or neutralmark can be readily read from the scale, the latter being carried in the present case on the upper e side of the lower stationary plate 2.

the plate 3 is in itsnormal said lower plate 2 is e ipped with an arched strip 28 under the ar h-of which the pointer 26 is movable, and this strip 28 constitutes a suitable guide for the plate 3 during the 5 lateral motionthereof. In other words the strip 28 prevents upward displacement of the said plate 3. By virtue of the fact that the upper plate-3 fits fiatwise against the lower p ate 2, said plate 3 will not wabble during this vibration or oscillation.

In Figs. 6 and 7 we have shown a modified means of operating the register from the wheel 7, as we will now set forth. Said wheel 7 is provided with a gear or gears as 30, one of which is shown as being in mesh with the pinion 31, the shaft of which is supported by a suitable bracket as 32 on the plate 2 and as having a pinion as 33 meshing with the gear 34 of the register. as 22. When the wheel 7 rotates the register 22 will be oper-- ated, the number of counts made thereby conforming to the number of revolutions made by the ball 4 which, as will be understood, is connected with said wheel? The device in use is generally connected to the top of the box which is preferably setinto the ground a depth suflicient to bring the uppersurface of the plate flush with the top of the ground, or, if the device is used indoors, it can be set'in an o ening in a floor. In both cases it will be firmly mountedin position in some suitable way. WeJnay also, if desired, cover the top of the plate 2 or other exposed parts which are apt to be struck by a golf club, with rubber, leather .or other soft material, so as to avoid injury to the club.

What we claim is: J

1. In an apparatus of the class described, a ball-carrier and a member movably mounted and movably carrying said ball-carrier, said member being slotted to provide forthe movement of the ball, a trap for the slot of said member, and means movable with the ball-carrier for normally holding said trap 2. In an apparatus of the class. described, a lower plate, an upper plate pivoted to and fitted fiatwise against the lower plate for vibration, a ball-carrier rotatably supported by the upper plate, both plates bein slotted to provide for the passage of the bal and indicdting means cooperative with the upper p ate. 4

' 3. In an apparatus of the class described, a lower plate, an upper plate pivotally supported by the lbwer late and vibratory transversely-thereof, 'a all-carrier movably supported by th'eupper plate and both lates. being slotted for the passage of the ba and iridicating means cooperative with the upper p ate. f

4. In an apparatus of the class described, a lower plate, an u perplate pivoted to the lower plate for vi ratory movement, a ballnected' with said-body member for vibratory .member carrier movably supported by the upper;

vtably supported by the yoke, both plates plate, both plates beingslotted for the passage of the ball on the revolution thereof, and registering means actuated by the ball-carrier on the movement thereof. v

5. In an apparatus of'the class described, a lower .plate, an upper plate pivoted to the lower plate for vibratory movement, a ballcarrier, means; depending from the upper plate for supporting said ball-carrier for rotation, both plates having slots. for the passage of'said ball on the rotation of the ball-carrier, indicatin means for indicatingthe rotation of the ba carrier, and independent indicating means for indicating the amount of vibratory'movement of the up er plate.-

6. In an apparatus of the c assdescribed, a lower plate, an u per plate pivoted to the" 'lower plate for vi ratory movement, a ballcarrier, means carried by the upper plate for rotatively supporting said ball carrier, both 5 plates being'slotted for the passage of the ball on the rotation of said ball-carrier, a register carried -by theupper plate, means 0 erable by the ball-carrier on the rotation t ereo f for actuating the register, and a scale on the lower plate, the upper. plate havinga pointer cooperative with said scale. -7. In an apparatus of the class described, a swinging member, a movablymounted ball-carrier sup orted by said swinging member, the latter being slotted for the passage of the ball, and a trap fitted in the slot of said member, the ball-carrier being provided with means for holding the trap closed, and means for opening the trap when the same is released.

8. In an apparatus of the class described, a swinging member, a ball-carrier movably supported by the swinging member, the latter being slotted to' provide for-the passage of the ball, a trap set in the slot of said swinging-member, the ball-carrier having a detent to hold the trap closed, and also having a preponderance of weight at one side to maintain such closed relation, and a spring to open the trap when the same is released 1 by the ball-carrier on the mdvement thereof.

- 9. In'an a paratus of the class described, a body mem er, an auxiliary member conmovement, a balls carrier rotatively su ported b said auxiliary memberythe bo' y being slotted to receive the ball of the ball-carrier during the rotation of the latter, and indicating means for indicating the amount of movement of one of the movable members. L f

10. In an apparatus'of the class described, a lower plate, an upper plate pivotally-connected t9 said lower plate, hangers depending from the up er plate, a wheel rotatably supported by t e hangers'below the two plates, a'block' connectedwith said wheel, a yoke connected with the block, a ball rota- J being slotted for the'passage of the ball on ,the rotation of the said wheel, and indicating means cooperative with said Wheel.

11. In an apparatus of the class described, a lower plate having a scale, an upper plate pivotally connected with the lower plate and having a pointer cooperative with said scale, a wheel rota tively supported by theupper plate, a block connected with the wheel, a

fork connected with the block, a ball rotatively supporte by the blockpsaid upper plate being slotted to provide for the passage of the ball on the rotation of the'wheel, a register connected with the upper plate, a

pin on the block to operate the register, a trap in the slot, means connected with the block for engaging the trap to hold the same normally closed, and a springfor opening the trap when the same is released on the rotation of the wheel.

12. In an apparatus of the class described, a movably mounted member having a slot, a movably mounted ball-carrier provided with a ball movable through said slot on the movement of said ball-carrier, a trap for the slot, and means controlled by the ball carrier for releasing the trap on the movement of said'ball-carrier.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing 3i witnesses CHARLES W. SEARS.

, HERMAN G. BOESCHE.

Witnesses:

BERNICE BUNNELL, S. EDITH BAKER; a 

